


Flower Arranging

by playitagain



Series: Snap Shots [9]
Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, modern!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-05
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-16 12:30:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3488360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/playitagain/pseuds/playitagain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The next time he sees Sasuke, the other looks tired and worn and Naruto makes his way outside to “arrange” the flowers when he sees him walking down the street.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flower Arranging

The first time Naruto meets the new tenant upstairs he’s outside arranging flowers, making sure they are healthy and well. Naruto is staring at him, mouth slightly agape as he watches the other approach. “Where can I find Mr. Yamanaka?” The smooth voice repeats the question a few times, before Naruto snaps out of his trance. Of course, when he does he takes one too many steps back, tripping over a flower pot and watching the flowers tumble to the ground. 

“Shit!” Naruto moves to adjust his apron, tugging at the material so he doesn’t feel like he’s choking. He then bends over to gather up the flowers, holding them in his arms when he turns back to the other male. Fuck, he was attractive. “He should be inside. If you ask the woman behind the counter, she’ll direct you to his office.” 

The other nods in thanks, taking a step around the puddle now on the ground before entering. Naruto wonders what the other wants with Mr. Yamanaka. 

The second time, Naruto’s holding a large pot of flowers, ready to put them outside in the sun for a bit when he literally runs into the other. Thankfully, he manages to keep the flowers firmly in hand so the water doesn’t end up spilling all over the other person –it sadly wouldn’t be the first time it happened. 

“I’m so sorry!” Naruto calls, leaning over to put the pot on the ground. It’s then he realizes that he had run into the handsome man from a few days ago. He wonders if he’s back to buy flowers or something. 

The other has a few flower petals in his hair and Naruto almost reaches forward to brush them out of his bangs, but that is definitely not appropriate. “You have a few-” Naruto says, pointing to his own hair, indicating to the other that he should brush the petals out of his bangs. The other does so and Naruto finds that he wants to touch the other’s hair. It looks so silky. “You got them.” 

“Just watch were you’re going next time,” the other says. He doesn’t make his way into the shop after that, but toward the back door where Naruto knows leads to the apartment above the shop. 

He’s still nodding like an idiot, watching the other walk up the stairs when he receives a particularly painful slap on the arm. “Hey! What the hell was that for?” 

“Stop staring at the new tenant. You’re going to freak him out,” Ino teases. Naruto shoots her a glare and she simply smiles cheekily at him. 

The third time, Naruto catches a glimpse of him in the window and he walks out casually, pretending to assort some of the flowers. Of course, his foot catches on one of the table legs and he goes flying face first into the ground. 

“How are you still working here?” 

Blue eyes shift to look at the other, who has an eyebrow raised in question, arms crossed over his chest. Naruto chuckles nervously, rubbing at his sore elbow as he pushes himself into a sitting position. 

“I swear this doesn’t happen often,” Naruto explains. Plus, Ino is his childhood friend and Mr. Yamanaka would feel guilty firing him with the student loans and everything he knows Naruto has piling up. “Plus, I’ve known the owner for years.” 

Naruto seems to realize his words after they leave him mouth. He pretty much told the other that this kind of thing only seems to happen in front of him. That was definitely not how he wanted to go about this. Actually, he would have liked to go about this with a little more dignity, but it was too late for that. 

“I’m Naruto, by the way,” he adds before the other can comment. He pushes himself off the ground, flexing his sore elbow. 

“Sasuke. I’m the new tenant.” 

The conversation doesn’t go anywhere from there because Sasuke’s phone rings and he’s off to his apartment, greeting the other on the line with an annoyed look. 

The next few meetings involve Naruto sighting the other just down the street and hurrying to stand outside. He greets the other with a smile and a good day and he normally receives a nod in return because the other always has his phone glued to his ear. 

They finally have a proper conversation a few weeks after the name exchange. It’s definitely planned, since Naruto had seen the other walking down the street and had rushed out the door to go arrange the flowers out front. Ino is rolling her eyes and Naruto shoots her a look over his shoulder. It isn’t like he hasn’t heard Ino talking about how attractive the other is. 

“Hey, Sasuke,” Naruto greets, smile pulling up his lips. Sasuke isn’t on the phone for once and he takes the chance to stop in front of the flower shop. 

“Naruto.” The briefcase is switched from one hand to the other and he swears he seems a ghost of a smile on the other’s lips. It’s definitely nicer to see Sasuke without the annoyed look that normally accompanies his features when he’s on the phone. “How are you?” 

“I’m good. How was your day?” It’s the first real conversation they’ve had and Naruto can’t help the smiles on his lips. He barely even knows Sasuke, but he finds himself oddly drawn to the other. 

“Long. The people I work with are incompetent,” Sasuke complains, fingers moving to run through dark hair. Naruto wants to run his own fingers through that dark hair. 

And then they get into a conversation about Sasuke’s job at the newspaper and Naruto realizes he’s stayed an extra twenty minutes later than he was supposed to. He definitely doesn’t have a problem with that when he’s waving to Sasuke and wishing him a good night. 

They stop to talk a lot after work now and Naruto finds out a lot about Sasuke’s job on the newspaper and Naruto talks about the classes he’s taking at the local college. He finds it’s easy to talk Sasuke. 

“Why haven’t you asked him out yet?” Ino asks one day, leaning over the counter. It’s one of the slower hours of the day and Naruto isn’t expecting Sasuke to come around for another few hours. 

“I don’t want to ruin anything,” Naruto explains, leaning on the broom he had previously been cleaning up with. “There’s a chance he isn’t into guys.”

“Naruto, he’s obviously into you. He spends time almost every day talking to you. I don’t think he’s looking for friendship.” 

“You think?” 

Ino nods.

Naruto decides that he’s going to ask the other out the next time he runs into him. 

Except he doesn’t see Sasuke for a few days and he ends up losing his nerve. The next time he sees Sasuke, the other looks tired and worn and Naruto makes his way outside to “arrange” the flowers when he sees him walking down the street. 

“Are you feeling okay?” Naruto asks, reaching forward to touch the other’s arm. He looks a bit unsteady and Naruto wonders if he’s getting sick. 

“It’s been a long week at work,” Sasuke explains and Naruto notices the way Sasuke shifts and seems to lean into Naruto’s hand. “We were working on the annual anniversary edition and no one was getting stories in on time.” 

“Oh, is there anything I can do to help? I mean, I know shit about newspapers, but maybe I can do something.” 

“You already are.”

Naruto doesn’t miss the looks the passes over Sasuke’s face, one of appreciation and something Naruto doesn’t recognize. Naruto opens his mouth to reply, but no words seem to leave his lips. Instead, he finds Sasuke leaning forward and feels a pair of lips pressing against his. 

It only takes a moment for Naruto respond, arms wrapping around the other’s neck. 

“Do you want to come up?” Sasuke asks, nodding toward the entrance to his apartment out back. Naruto nods his head, smile pulling up his lips. That is definitely something Naruto wants to do. It’s something he’s wanted to do since the first time he saw Sasuke. 

“Yeah, let me just tell Ino I’m heading out a few minutes early.” 

When they get upstairs, Naruto’s surprised to see the space organized and decorated unlike the last time he had been up here when it was full of boxes.

They end up getting take out and sitting on the floor. Sasuke talks about his coworkers and Naruto complains about finals coming up. Naruto offers to throw the containers away and when he gets back, he finds Sasuke asleep, legs pulled up to his chest and head resting against the couch cushions. 

Naruto wakes him with a smile and ushers the other to his room. Sasuke grumbles about falling asleep on Naruto, but he only smiles and encourages Sasuke to head to bed. 

Sasuke finally gives in and Naruto gives him a soft kiss on the lips and a promise of seeing the other tomorrow after work. 

Naruto doesn’t pretend to arrange the flowers the next day. He figures wanting to say hi to Sasuke is enough of a reason to head out and he doesn’t need an excuse to do that now.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr at narudobe-sasuteme.


End file.
